First Management Certificate Cohort Continues to Reap Benefits of Program

Scholars from the first Public Health Management Certificate cohort continue to use skills and resources learned during the program to be more effective and productive in their jobs.

Scholars and faculty from the 2011–2012 Public Health Management Certificate program year

Scholars from the first Public Health Management Certificate cohort continue to use skills and resources learned during the program to be more effective and productive in their jobs.

April 2, 2014

Since its inception in 2011, the Public Health Management Certificate (PHMC) program has helped 59 state, local, and tribal public health professionals from across the nation develop core management skills—planning, organizing, budgeting, and analyzing performance.

"Most public health managers are trained in a specific public health discipline, but few have had any specific training in management," said Janell Blackmer, Public Health Management Certificate Program Coordinator.

"The PHMC program was developed in 2010 to fill that training need and also help prepare organizations for staff attrition and succession planning related to an aging public health workforce," Janell said. "Scholars come away from the program with skills and resources that will help them increase efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability at their workplace."

PHMC's curriculum covers the management competencies from the public health practice competencies developed by the Council on Linkages between Academia and Public Health Practice. After an initial orientation session in Seattle, scholars continue with distance-based core and elective courses. A key component of the program is an individual integrated project, chosen by each scholar to work on throughout the year under the guidance of a PHMC mentor. These projects incorporate the program's didactic year-long learning into real-world situations happening within their work environments.

Evaluations of the PHMC program show that scholars continue to use skills and resources learned during the program to be more effective and productive in their jobs.

In a one-year follow up survey with scholars from the program's very first cohort year, 2011–2012, the majority of scholars agreed the program was useful to themselves and their agencies. Specifically, scholars reported a general increase in confidence and broadened management skills.

"I am much more effective and productive in my job," one scholar said. "Participation in the program increased my confidence in my public health management skills."

"I have moved into accepting bigger agency projects with the confidence I can do a great job," another scholar said. "I feel my skills have increased."

The majority of scholars also identified the integrated project as very important to the development of their individual management skills during the program, with the project continuing to serve as a resource for them in their jobs. Scholars reported using their projects in their agencies to prepare for accreditation, improve overall agency planning and evaluation, implement new programs, and shape program priorities.

"This program develops important practical skills that enhance the performance of the individual scholars who participate in the program, and also that advance the work of their organizations and of the field of public health. The integrated project reinforces the scholar's learning because new skills are immediately applied to a real project that also benefits their organization and their community," said Susan Allan, MD, JD, MPH, the Faculty Director for Public Health Management Certificate. "We are very proud of the on-going achievements of those who have gone through the program."

Applications are being accepted for the 2014–15 cohort year. Scholars who register by May 31, 2014, can save up to $500. Additional discounts are offered for organizations that send a group of three or more people.